Evaluation of the clinimetrics of transcutaneous oxygen measurement and its application in wound care.

Transcutaneous oxygen (TcPO2) measurement is a non-invasive diagnostic tool increasingly being used in clinical practice. Existing evidence suggests that reduction of TcPO2 is correlated with an increase in skin ischaemia, and its measurement has been shown to have predictive value for wound healing in diabetic patients, success rate of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, amputation rate in patients suffering from peripheral vascular disease or with ischaemic ulcers. This article evaluates the clinimetrics of TcPO2 measurement in adults with discussion of its potential application in clinical practice.